Jessica Bell (politician)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jessica Bell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for University—Rosedale | |
| Assumed office June 7, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Shadow Cabinet Positions | |
| 2025–Present | Finance and Treasury Board |
| 2022–2025 | Housing |
| 2018–2022 | Transit |
| Personal details | |
| Citizenship | |
| Party | Ontario New Democratic |
| Occupation |
|
Jessica Bell is a Canadian politician who is the member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for University—Rosedale. Bell was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 2018 as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP). She is currently the Official Opposition critic for finance and Treasury Board.
Bell was a community organizer and was involved with advocacy groups across North America. She was a member of the Rainforest Action Network, where in 2004, she and a group of nine demonstrators were arrested after climbing a crane in Seattle and displaying a banner against old-growth logging. Her trespassing charge was later withdrawn.[1][2] Bell has also been arrested as part of a protest over mercury contamination in the Grassy Narrows First Nation.[2][3]
Bell founded TTCriders, an advocacy group campaigning for improving the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). She was the group's first executive director.[4] Bell has also been the director of the California Food and Justice Coalition, and was a lecturer at Toronto Metropolitan University.[5]
Political career
Bell was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election.[6] Bell was named the Opposition critic for transit.[7]
Bell introduced a private member's bill, Bill 62, Protecting Vulnerable Road Users Act. The bill proposed increased penalties for vehicle drivers who injure or kill pedestrians, cyclists, or first responders. Bill 62 was not voted on by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario before it was dissolved for the 2022 Ontario general election.[8] Bell proposed two further related bills in 2019 and 2020; one which required the reporting of dooring accidents and another which would have established a Vision Zero strategy in Ontario, respectively. Neither bill was considered by the Legislature.[9][10]
In 2021, she became the Opposition critic for housing issues.[7] Bell has criticized the Progressive Conservative government for ordering the demolition of bike lanes in Toronto and removing legal protections for injured cyclists.[11]
Bell was re-elected in the 2022 provincial election, remaining as Opposition housing critic.[7]
She was re-elected in the 2025 provincial election, later becoming the Opposition critic for finance and Treasury Board.[7]
Bell endorsed Avi Lewis in the 2026 New Democratic Party leadership election.[12]
